This invention relates to prosthetic devices and more particularly to an implant to support weak or defective auricular cartilage in the canine ear.
A collapsed ear is a condition which is common in many dogs and which many people consider unattractive. This condition occurs whenever the auricular cartilage is either weak and cannot support the weight of the ear or whenever the cartilage has been damaged or is otherwise defective and results in the ear remaining in a collapsed position either part or all of the time.
Various types of implanted supports or splints have been used in the past to correct this problem. However, the results have been unacceptable primarily because of the lack of fixation of the implant. This lack of fixation results in a sliding movement of the implant within the ear which causes a gradual wearing away or erosion of adjacent tissue. Eventually, the splint has been found to completely wear away portions of the overlying tissue which allows the splint to extrude from the ear.
Another problem in choosing a material for the use in a canine ear splint is that it be thick enough in order to provide proper support for the ear, but not too thick to result in an unsightly appearance. On the other hand, the material must be thin enough to provide the requisite flexibility.